Transmission of wireless messages of current vehicle location and estimated arrival time to requestors

ABSTRACT

A wireless communication device disposed on a moving vehicle. The wireless communication device further includes a geographic location determination processor for determining a geographic location on a city map. The wireless communication device further receives a vehicle location and arrival schedule request for sending a message to a passenger waiting for the vehicle for providing the geographic location on the city map and an estimated arrival time of the vehicle to a passenger waiting for the vehicle.

This application is a Formal Application and claims priority to pendingU.S. patent application entitled “TRANSMISSION OF WIRELESS MESSAGES OFCURRENT VEHICLE LOCATION AND ESTIMATED ARRIVAL TIME TO REQUESTORS” filedon Jan. 7, 2006 and accorded Ser. No. 60/757,560 by the same Applicantof this Application, the benefit of its filing date being hereby claimedunder Title 35 of the United States Code.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a signal transmission systemimplemented with wireless signal transmitters and receivers. Moreparticularly, this invention is related to a signal transmission systemfor transmitting wireless messages, e.g., a short message (SM), torequesters to provide most current vehicle location and estimatedarrival time to a designated location.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A passenger waiting at a bus stop for a bus traveling on fixed route ina city still suffers from the inconvenience that the passenger has noinformation about where the bus is and when the bus is estimated toarrive at the bus stop. Actually, modern technologies have alreadydeveloped wireless signal transmissions and data handling capabilitiesto provide information about the location of a moving vehicle. There arealso “navigators” commercially available to estimate the arrival time ofa bus to a particular location. However, a passenger still relies on abus schedule posted on a bus stop. The posted bus schedule provides arough schedule of when the next bus is coming. However, in reality thearrival time of next bus is often unpredictable. Passengers often haveto wait a long period of time for the coming bus without any knowledgeabout the delay that is caused by the unexpected traffic conditions,engine breakdown or any other unknown reasons. Tremendous wastes of timeand resources occur due to such lack of communications.

Similar kinds of wastes often occurs in a metropolitan areas where taxidrivers are circling around city blocks trying to pickup a riders whilea person may walk anxiously on a different street looking for a vacantcab and not able to find one. Even though short messages are commonlyused on a personal or organizational levels to communicate a widevarieties of data and information, current wireless communicationsystems still have not provided an effective solution to resolve suchdifficulties and wastes.

The location of an incoming bus and an estimated arrival time to adesignated bus top can be conveniently transmitted as a short message toa passenger using a cellular phone. Short messages have been broadlyemployed to transmit different kinds of information and data. Forexample, in Patent Application 20020084888, a system for sending andreceiving personal information using a mobile terminal is disclosed. Inthat patent application, personal information is sent using a shortmessage service with attached identification information. Accordingly,when a receiving mobile terminal receives the short message, theattached identification information allows the receiving mobile terminalto distinguish and process the short message for personal informationdifferently from other general short messages.

In another Patent Application 20050020287, a location-based referenceinformation transmitted through a wireless communication system isdisclosed that provides a ‘411xx’ value added service to wireless users.The disclosed 411xx’ service allows a mobile user who may be unfamiliarwith their current geographic location to obtain quick, accurate, andcurrent information relating to the geographic area, e.g., differentservices in their current location, stores, libraries, gas stations,etc., via a mobile terminated (MT) short message system (SMS) message.In addition to the traditional ‘4-1-1’ dialed digits, a mobile userwould also dial a number (or numbers) representing a feature code for aparticular service, e.g., nearby ATMs, or traffic information. Uponreceiving a 411xx call, the message service center (MSC) generates anORREQ/TCAP trigger based on a translation of the requested servicerepresented by the extra ‘xx’ digits.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,738634, Shin discloses a communication system and amethod for performing short message services in the communicationsystem. The communication system includes a radio link control (RLC)layer for dividing a data unit having a first length corresponding toshort messages transmitted from a higher layer on a down link into dataunits having second lengths, and for reconstructing data units havingthird lengths transmitted from a lower layer on an up link into dataunits having fourth lengths; and a media access control (MAC) layer formultiplexing logical channels assigned for the data units having thesecond lengths on the down link with different logical channels,performing scheduling for the data units having the second lengths toobtain schedule messages, and demultiplexing transmission channelsmultiplexed from the lower layer on the up link.

In another Patent Application 20040196866, a method for transmitting andrecording schedule using a short message service is disclosed. Thismethod is provided for transmitting a common schedule message to aplurality of mobile terminals using a short message service (SMS) in amobile terminal having an SMS function and a schedule function, andenabling a mobile terminal receiving the schedule message to record thereceived schedule message therein as a schedule. If a user selects aschedule transmission for transmitting a schedule registered in themobile terminal to another mobile terminal, the mobile terminal convertsa data format for the schedule into a data format of aschedule-recordable SMS message, and then transmits theschedule-recordable SMS message. To record a schedule, the mobileterminal receiving a schedule message converts a data format of thereceived SMS message into a format of schedule-recordable data andrecords the converted data therein as a schedule, if schedule recordingis selected by the user.

Other than the applications of short messages (SM) to transmit textualmessages, transmission of other types of signal messages including audioor video signals have not bee applied to transmit vehicle location orschedule information.

In another Patent Application 20060164259, a wireless mobile vehiclereal-time tracking and notification systems are disclosed. The systemfeatures a system and methods for notifying passengers of an approachingvehicle. Utilizing such a system and methods, passengers can remain in asafe, controlled environment, avoiding harsh environmental conditionsand excessive waiting times, instead arriving at their pick-up pointcloser and prior to a vehicle's arrival. More specifically, the patentapplication relates to a bus notification system wherein passengers areable to know the location and estimated arrival time of the bus severalminutes before its arrival at a specified location along the bus route.The patent application also features a system and methods for locatingan in-transit vehicle and for providing real-time mapping and monitoringof such in-transit vehicles. The disclosures made in Application20060164259 are hereby incorporated by reference in this PatentApplication. The disclosures made in Application 20060164259 however areoften limited by the inaccurate prediction of the time of arrival due tothe uncertainty of traffic conditions on the street. Additionally, amobile phone user is not yet provided with a convent method to receivethe notification. The estimated time of arrival (ETA) as that may beposted on houses or bus dispatch time may not be convenient for a mobilephone user.

For these reasons, the above Patent Applications and Patents do notprovide effective solution to resolve the difficulties currentlyencountered by the passengers, especially for passengers using a mobilephone for communications. Therefore an urgent need still exists toimplement a signal transmission/reception and processing configurationto make the location and schedule information of a bus or a movingvehicle available to the passengers such that better time management andscheduling can be achieved.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is therefore an aspect of the present invention to provide systemconfigurations and signal process methods to enable a passenger waitingfor a bus, a taxi, or any person waiting for an incoming vehicle torequest and obtain a location and an accurate estimate time of arrivalof the expected incoming vehicles taking into considerations of thedynamic changing traffic conditions. Unnecessary wastes of time can beeliminated and better time management can be achieved.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide to a requester ofa transportation service using a wireless communication device, e.g., acellular phone, the location and estimated arrival time of a taxi or avehicle for hire and related information about that vehicle. Therefore,both the taxi driver and the user of a wireless communication device areprovided with information to better manage their time and schedule tominimize unnecessary wastes of time and resource.

Briefly, in a preferred embodiment, the present invention discloses awireless communication device disposed on a moving vehicle. The wirelesscommunication device further includes a geographic locationdetermination processor for determining a geographic location on a citymap. The wireless communication device further receives a vehiclelocation and arrival schedule request for sending a message to apassenger waiting for the vehicle for providing the geographic locationon the city map and an estimated arrival time of the vehicle to apassenger waiting for the vehicle.

In summary a method to inform a location of a bus traveling on apredefined bus route making a plurality of bus stops is disclosed inthis invention. The method includes a step of installing a device on thebus for sending a message to a user of a mobile communication device toindicate a current location of the bus. The step of sending the messagefurther includes a step of sending the message with a bus stop namecurrently the bus is near in traveling on the predefined bus route. Inanother preferred embodiment, the method further includes a step ofreceiving a request from the user of the mobile communication device toreceive the message for indicating a current location of the bus. Inanother preferred embodiment, the method further includes a step ofpaying a fee by the user of the mobile communication device forreceiving the message. In another preferred embodiment, the methodfurther includes a step of paying a fee by the user of the mobilecommunication device from an account associated with the communicationdevice for receiving the message. In another preferred embodiment, themethod further includes a step of using the device on the bus fordetecting the current location of the bus. In another preferredembodiment, the method further includes a step of detecting the currentlocation of the bus and estimating an arrival time to a requestedlocation included in the request. In another preferred embodiment, thestep of sending the message including a step of sending a short message(SM) to the mobile communication device. In another preferredembodiment, the step of sending the message including a step of sendingan electronic mail (e-Mail) to the mobile communication device. Inanother preferred embodiment, the step of sending the message includinga step of sending a voice message to the mobile communication device. Inanother preferred embodiment, the step of sending the message includinga step of sending an image signal to the mobile communication device forshowing the current location of the bus on a map. In another preferredembodiment, the step of installing the device on the bus furthercomprising a step of installing a global position system (GPS) on thebus for detecting a geographic location of the bus. In another preferredembodiment, the step of installing the device further comprising a stepof installing an access point (AP) for communicating through a switch toa wireless local area network (WLAN) server for automatically detectinga wireless communication device followed by retrieving a user profiledata record of the wireless communication device for establish awireless communication with the wireless communication device.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will nodoubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after havingread the following detailed description of the preferred embodimentwhich is illustrated in the various drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a wireless communication systemof this invention.

FIG. 2 is functional block diagram of a location and schedule devicedisposed on a vehicle for transmitting signals to the requesters toprovide information about location and schedule of the vehicle.

FIG. 3 is functional block diagram of a distributed wireless local areanetwork (WLAN) communication systems with access point disposed onvehicles to detect and communicate with WLAN users.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 is a system functional diagram showing a wireless vehicleschedule communication system 100 that includes a traffic message center110 for receiving a request from a cellular phone user 120. The requestmay be in the form of short message or any other type of requestingsignals. The traffic message center 110 further receives a vehiclelocation signal from a vehicle 130. The vehicle location signal may begenerated by different systems applying different technologies as willbe further discussed below. In an embodiment shown in FIG. 1, thevehicle is equipped with a global position system (GPS) with a GPSsignal transmitter 140. The GPS 140 with a GPS transmitter 140 canperiodically transmit a geographic location signal to the trafficmessage center 110. The traffic message center 110 applies the signalreceived from the GPS transmitter 140 to process a schedule signal. Theschedule signal may include the name of the current bus stop 125 closestto the current location of the vehicle according to the GPS signalreceived from the vehicle. The schedule signal may also include theestimated time of arrival of the bus to each of the bus stops, e.g., busstop 125′ where the user 120 is waiting for the bus, on the bus route.FIG. 1 also show there are many traffic lights 123 along the way frombus stop 125 to bus stop 125′. Each of these traffic lights 123 includesa traffic-monitoring device 123-D that can be a video camera or trafficspeed detectors or combination of the devices to determine the trafficflow and speed. Each of these traffic monitor devices 123-D is furtherprovided with a wireless transmitter to transmit a traffic flow andspeed signal to the traffic message center 110 for dynamically estimatethe time of arrival based on the real time measurements of traffic flowand speed conditions. Once the traffic message center 110 receives avehicle schedule request from a cellular phone user 120, a schedulemessage is sent to the requestor's cellular phone 120 as a short messageor other type of message signals, e.g., a voice message ready for thecellular phone user to retrieve from a phone message center. The trafficmessage center further has a schedule request charge processor 150 tocharge a fee for responding to a request for providing the vehiclelocation and schedule. The charge for providing such service may be aspecial phone number that collect charge for each incoming call withcertain rates. The charge may be collected as part of the phone billthat can either directed deducted from a deposited account of thatcellular phone or a monthly bill sent to the cellular phone user.

FIG. 2 shows an alternate preferred embodiment of a location andschedule device 210 disposed on a vehicle 200. The location and scheduledevice 210 includes a vehicle location determination subsystem 220 thatincludes a global position system (GPS) device 225 for determining ageographic location of the vehicle 200. The location determinationsubsystem 220 also includes a map database 230 to process the geographiclocation signals received from the GPS 225 together with the mapdatabase 230 to determine the location of the vehicle on the map. Thelocation and schedule processor 210 further includes a scheduleestimator 240 to estimate a time of arrival to a requested location of aschedule and location requestor 250 using the map database and anaverage traveling speed of the vehicle 200 and the data of the real-timetraffic condition as further described below. As an option the locationand schedule process further receives data of real-traffic conditions.These data can be available from satellites 255 or from a trafficcondition information center 265, or from traffic monitoring devices 275located at different street corner or on the traffic lights. The datafrom the satellites 255, the traffic condition information center 265,or the traffic monitoring devices 275 provide traffic flow and trafficspeed on a real time basis. Therefore, that the location and scheduledevice 210 can provide a more accurate and realistic estimate of arrivaltime. The location and schedule device 210 further includes a locationand schedule request processor 260 to receive and process an incomingrequest from the location and schedule requestor 250. The location andschedule requestor 250 can send a request for vehicle location andschedule as a short message from a wireless communication device, e.g. acellular phone. The wireless communication device may be a personaldigital assistant (PDA) connected through a network, e.g., connectionthrough the Internet. The vehicle location and schedule device 210further includes a request response subsystem 270 for responding to therequest in sending a location and schedule message to the requestor. Thelocation and schedule message can be a short message to a cellularphone, an e-mail message to a PDA, a voice message to a voice messagecenter. The location and schedule message in response to a request maybe a multimedia signal including a map and showing the location of thevehicle and direction of traveling of the vehicle in coming to thelocation of the requestor.

FIG. 2 also shows that a requestor 250 is using a device with a videocamera 280 as that often provided in the cellular phone now. A moreconvenient and faster way for the requester 250 using this cellularphone to apply the video camera as a scanner to scan a particular barcode for activating a schedule request of a particular bus according tothe data embedded in the bar code. Alternately, an RFID chip may beavailable for sending a RF signal to the cellular phone and RF signalwhen received by the cellular phone can trigger a request to send to thelocation and schedule device on the bus 200 for the location andschedule device disposed on the bus 200 to send a location and estimatetime of arrival either to the mobile device as a short message of otherkinds of notification. Alternately, the mobile communication device usedby the requester may have a particular sets of keys for the cellularphone to send a request signal to the location and schedule device 210on the bus 200 or to a traffic schedule message center as that shown inFIG. 1 for the cellular phone to receive a message about the locationand/or the estimate time of arrival to a particular location accordingto the request from the mobile device user included in the requestingmessage.

In an embodiment, when a passenger is riding on a taxi, the location andschedule device 210 can provide to a friend of a family member of thepassenger an access code to periodically receive a signal. The signalwill inform the friend or the family member of the passenger thelocation and schedule of arrival of the taxi to a designated location.

Referring to FIG. 3 for a functional block diagram to illustrate asystem configuration of a distributed wireless network (WLAN) 300. TheWLAN system 300 includes a master server 310 connected through wired orwireless connection to a plurality of WLAN servers 320-1, 320-3, 320-3,. . . 320-N. Each of these WLAN servers is connected to a switch 330-1,330-2, 330-3, . . . , 330-M. Through these switches, each of the WLANservers 320-1, 320-2, 320-3, . . . , 320-N are in actively communicationwith a plurality of access points (APs), e.g., access points 340-1,340-2, 340-3, . . . , 340-Y where Y can be any integer numbers. Each ofthese access points APs 340-1 to 340-Y is disposed on a vehicle forwirelessly connecting to a plurality of user of a wireless communicationdevice 350-1, 350-2, 350-3, . . . 350-Z, where Z can be any integernumber. This distributed WLAN system 300 is managed by distributing auser profile data record for flexibly managing the wirelesscommunication through the APs. Once the wireless device user is detectedby one of the access points 340-1 to 340-Y now disposed on a vehicle,the user profile data record is downloaded and a wireless communicationis established between the user the AP with appropriate accessprivileges, and service requirements for the user. The vehicle nowserves the function of access point further includes a GPS and mapdatabase for communicating the location and estimated arrival time to auser requested location through the WLAN communication. The access point340-1 to 340-Y now disposed on the moving vehicles can also providecontents related to a local area when a wireless WLAN user is detected.Such contents may be store and shop names, special sales or otheractivities taking place near the location where a moving vehicle ispassing through.

According to above descriptions and drawings, this invention describes awireless communication device, e.g., location and schedule device 210,disposed on a vehicle 200. The wireless communication device 210 furtherincludes a user interface 260 for receiving a user request with auser-designated location. The communication device 210 further includesa processor 240 for receiving data of geographic location and data ofreal-time traffic condition for determining a geographic location of thevehicle and an estimate time of arrival of the vehicle to the userdesignated location. In an exemplary embodiment, the user interface 260and 270 further sends a wireless signal including the estimate time ofarrival of the vehicle to the user designated location. In an exemplaryembodiment, the user interface 260-270 further sends a short message(SM) to a mobile communication device 250 including the estimate time ofarrival of the vehicle to the user designated location. In an exemplaryembodiment, the user interface further sends an electronic mail (e-mail)to a communication device, such as a PDA, a computer or other types ofnetwork communication devices, including the estimate time of arrival ofthe vehicle to the user designated location. In an exemplary embodiment,the user interface further sends an audio message to a communicationdevice 250 including the estimate time of arrival of the vehicle to theuser designated location. In an exemplary embodiment, the user interfacefurther sends a wireless signal including the geographic location of thevehicle and the estimate time of arrival of the vehicle to the userdesignated location. In an exemplary embodiment, the user interfacefurther receives and processes the user request sent as a short message(SM) from a cellular phone 250 or different kinds of communicationdevices. In an exemplary embodiment, the user interface further receivesand processes the user request sent as an electronic mail (e-mail). Inan exemplary embodiment, the user interface further receives andprocesses the user request as an audio message. In an exemplaryembodiment, the user interface further receives the user request as anaudio message and the user interface 260 further includes a voicerecognition processor for processing the audio message. In an exemplaryembodiment, the processor further receives and processes data of globalposition system (GPS) as a data of geographic location. In an exemplaryembodiment, the processor further receives and processes data fromsatellite 255 as the data of real-time traffic condition. In anexemplary embodiment, the processor further receives and processes datafrom a traffic control center 265 as the data of real-time trafficcondition. In an exemplary embodiment, the processor further receivesand processes data from a traffic monitor system 275 with video camerasdisposed on city streets as the data of real-time traffic condition.

This invention further includes a mobile communication device 250 thatincludes a memory for storing a user request message including a userdesignated location for responding to a single user operational actionon the mobile communication device to send out a user request includingthe user designated location for requesting an estimate time of arrivalof a requested vehicle 200 to the user designated location. The singleuser operation action may include an operation of a user pressing abutton or buttons of the keypad 290 on the cellular phone 250.

This invention also discloses a mobile communication device 250 thatincludes an input port for receiving an electromagnetic (EM) signal,such as an RF signal from an RFID device or any other EM signaltransmitters, for activating a transmission of a user request messageincluding a user designated location for requesting a time of arrival ofa requested vehicle 200. In a different embodiment, the communicationdevice 250 is a cellular phone that includes a video camera 280 forscanning a bar code or different types of coded tag for activating atransmission of a user request message including a user designatedlocation for requesting a time of arrival of a requested vehicle 200.

This invention further discloses a method of operating a vehicle. Themethod includes a step of installing a processor 210 on the vehicle 200for receiving a wireless signal comprising a user request for anestimate time of arrival to a user designated location. The methodfurther includes a step of receiving wireless signals of geographiclocation data and real-time traffic condition data for the processor 210to determine a geographic location of the vehicle and the estimate timeof arrival to the user designated location. In a exemplary embodiment,the step of receiving the real-time traffic condition further comprisingreceiving the real-time traffic condition from a traffic control center265. In a exemplary embodiment, the step of receiving the real-timetraffic condition further comprising receiving the real-time trafficcondition from a satellite 255. In exemplary embodiment, the step ofreceiving the user request further includes a step of receiving the userrequest as a short message (SM). In another exemplary embodiment, thestep of receiving the user request further includes a step of receivingthe user request as a audio request such as an incoming call or aspecial audio signal recognized by the processor 210 to respond to therequest.

In summary, this invention discloses a wireless communication systemthat includes a signal transmitter for transmitting a message to a userof a wireless communication device to provide a location information ofa bus. In a preferred embodiment, the message providing a bus stop namenear the bus. In an alternate preferred embodiment, the system furtherincludes a bus schedule control center for receiving a request with afee from the user of the wireless communication device to send themessage. In another preferred embodiment, the system further includes abus location detector for detecting a location of the bus. In anotherpreferred embodiment, the system further includes a control center forreceiving a request with a fee from the user of the wirelesscommunication device to send the message.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of thepresently preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that suchdisclosure is not to be interpreted as limiting. Various alternationsand modifications will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in theart after reading the above disclosure. Accordingly, it is intended thatthe appended claims be interpreted as covering all alternations andmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A wireless communication device disposed on a vehicle wherein saidwireless communication device further comprising: a user interface forreceiving a user request with a user designated location; and aprocessor for receiving data of geographic location and data ofreal-time traffic condition for determining a geographic location ofsaid vehicle and an estimate time of arrival of said vehicle to saiduser designated location.
 2. The wireless communication device of claim1 wherein: said user interface further sending a wireless signalincluding said estimate time of arrival of said vehicle to said userdesignated location.
 3. The wireless communication device of claim 1wherein: said user interface further sending a short message (SM) to amobile communication device including said estimate time of arrival ofsaid vehicle to said user designated location.
 4. The wirelesscommunication device of claim 1 wherein: said user interface furthersending an electronic mail (e-mail) to a communication device includingsaid estimate time of arrival of said vehicle to said user designatedlocation.
 5. The wireless communication device of claim 1 wherein: saiduser interface further sending an audio message to a communicationdevice including said estimate time of arrival of said vehicle to saiduser designated location.
 6. The wireless communication device of claim1 wherein: said user interface further sending a wireless signalincluding said geographic location of said vehicle and said estimatetime of arrival of said vehicle to said user designated location.
 7. Thewireless communication device of claim 1 wherein: said user interfacefurther receiving and processing said user request sent as a shortmessage (SM) from a cellular phone.
 8. The wireless communication deviceof claim 1 wherein: said user interface further receiving and processingsaid user request sent as an electronic mail (e-mail).
 9. The wirelesscommunication device of claim 1 wherein: said user interface furtherreceiving and processing said user request as an audio message.
 10. Thewireless communication device of claim 1 wherein: said user interfacefurther receiving said user request as an audio message and said userinterface further includes a voice recognition processor for processingsaid audio message.
 11. The wireless communication device of claim 1wherein: said processor further receiving and processing data of globalposition system (GPS) as a data of geographic location.
 12. The wirelesscommunication device of claim 1 wherein: said processor furtherreceiving and processing data from satellite as said data of real-timetraffic condition.
 13. The wireless communication device of claim 1wherein: said processor further receiving and processing data from atraffic control center as said data of real-time traffic condition. 14.The wireless communication device of claim 1 wherein: said processorfurther receiving and processing data from a traffic monitor system withvideo cameras disposed on city streets as said data of real-time trafficcondition.
 15. A mobile communication device comprising: a video camerafor scanning a bar code for activating a transmission of a user requestmessage including a user designated location for requesting a time ofarrival of a requested vehicle.
 16. A method of operating a vehiclecomprising: installing a processor on said vehicle for receiving awireless signal comprising a user request for an estimate time ofarrival to a user designated location; and receiving wireless signals ofgeographic location data and real-time traffic condition data for saidprocessor to determine a geographic location of said vehicle and saidestimate time of arrival to said user designated location.
 17. Themethod of claim 16 wherein: said step of receiving said real-timetraffic condition further comprising receiving said real-time trafficcondition from a traffic control center.
 18. The method of claim 16wherein: said step of receiving said real-time traffic condition furthercomprising receiving said real-time traffic condition from a satellite.19. The method of claim 16 wherein: said step of receiving said userrequest further comprising receiving said user request as a shortmessage.
 20. The method of claim 16 wherein: said step of receiving saiduser request further comprising receiving said user request as a audiorequest.